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A report called Body Count has revealed that at least 1.3 million people have lost their lives as a result of the US-led “war on terror” in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s a report which should have made front page news across the world.

The Russian Culture Ministry had to replace the general director of Novosibirsk Opera Theater because the recent row with the Orthodox Church over a controversial opera staging led to a conflict in society, a senior Kremlin official has said.

Enrique Ferro's insight:

The issue is highly sensitive. Can a mob of bigots subject the arts to censorship? But are mavericks licensed to provoke religious riots for pasting the walls of a city with desecrating posters? Where is the balance?

Rejecting what they see as interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs, over five million people across the country have signed a petition demanding that the US president repeals his executive order that declared Caracas an extraordinary security threat.

Preface by Alexander MercourisWe publish this long article in full not just because intellectually speaking it is something of a tour de force but because it is packed with exceptional insights both about Russia and about the foreign policy of the US and the methods used by some of the supporters of that foreign policy.Before commenting on some of the points made in the article we would make one warning:

Enrique Ferro's insight:

The article makes a valid and important point - the philosophers Putin endorses are genuine intellectual heavyweights whose ideas do not set out a program or blueprint for an aggressive, expansionist, ethnocentric, authoritarian, “messianic” Russia, as Western critics of Putin allege, but on the contrary do the diametric opposite.

As the article also says, the philosophers under discussion were highly regarded in the West until Putin endorsed them. At that moment - but not before - their ideas suddenly became "dangerous" and "sinister".

This brings us to our next point. The article shows how cynically the ideas of the three philosophers are being misrepresented in order to prove the thesis of a dangerous, aggressive and authoritarian Russia.

Brooks, Snegovaya and Galeotti apparently have all made use of the same basic logic when they examined the philosophical sources of Putin’s thinking. That logic went something like this: a) Washington considers Russia a problem, therefore, b) Vladimir Putin is a thug; and therefore, c) the Nineteen Century philosopher Vladimir Solovyov dreamed of restoring the Soviet Union to its former Christian glory and might.

Such sloppy thinking would not have happened were these three otherwise intelligent people not (one hopes temporarily) previously incapacitated by ideological blinders. Unfortunately, the same ideological thinking dominates nearly all of U.S. discourse vis-à-vis Russia, making a political settlement impossible.

In Paraguay, the housemaids/daily helps must earn only 60% of the national minimum wage, which means about $240, and can be contracted from 16 years of age. The Paraguayan Congress never ceases to amaze. After the heated...

Enrique Ferro's insight:

Congress determines Paraguayans pay 40% less for domestic workers in the country. Public Agency

In Paraguay, the housemaids/daily helps must earn only 60% of the national minimum wage, which means about $240, and can be contracted from 16 years of age. The Paraguayan Congress never ceases to amaze. After the heated discussion that the PEC of Domestic Servants generated in Brazil, with a very positive result, come the Congress of the neighboring country (Paraguay) - the same that brought down Fernando Lugo, only leftist president in its history - and show their true mettle when it comes to equal rights.

The US Central Intelligence Agency will not release an updated assessment of the Malaysia MH17 flight crash because it would exonerate the Russian government from involvement, US journalist Robert Parry, known for helping expose the Iran-Contra affair, told Sputnik.

The policies of the National Front led by Marine le Pen have become more understood and less demonized so the party is optimistic about the future French presidential election, National Front international spokesperson Ludovic de Danne told RT.

US hedge fund billionaire George Soros said he will invest $1 billion in Ukraine provided the West improves investment conditions, and warned there is no such thing as a ‘benevolent investor’.

Enrique Ferro's insight:

Nothing good can come from this self-advertised philanthropist, but in fact a warmongering speculator and vulture capitalist. He wants to invest in agriculture, probably by using EU money? Expect GMOs enough to poison the whole continent and beyond. At least Russians are lucky to remain safe, as that trash is banned in Russia.

Russia’s top law enforcement body has announced that it has started a criminal probe into attacks on WWII monuments and graves that allegedly took place in Ukraine.

Enrique Ferro's insight:

Why should the West be concerned for the desecration of monuments to the victims of and fighters against Nazism, if it is unabashedly supporting a Fascist regime destroying cities in their country and murdering their own citizens? And yet, have our ignorant and philistine politicians and media clergy ever heard of Baby Yar, at least of Evtushensko's poem and Shostakovitch's symphony, both conveying deep sorrow and condemnation?

Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of the Germanwings plane that crashed in the French Alps with 150 people on board last week, had undergone treatment for suicidal tendencies in the past, prosecutors said.

Enrique Ferro's insight:

Calling "the leaking of the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) data a serious breach of fundamental and globally accepted international accident investigation rules," the European Cockpit Association said a full investigation had to be complete before such announcements, adding that "the motivation for and consequences of this will need to be addressed."

Dmitry Kolesnik is a Ukrainian journalist, left-wing activist and editor of the web journal Liva.com (‘The Left’). This article originally appeared at CounterPunch“Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” Maybe John Lennon’s famous musical lyric can be called naive, but it’s a hopeful vision all the same.

This article originally appeared at Lenta.ru. It was translated for RI by Johanna GanyukovaFrom April this year, the Donetsk People’s Republic will begin the regular payment of pensions in Russian roubles. This is a result of a decree issued by the head of the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic), Aleksandr Zakharchenko, according to the Donetsk News Agency.

The West tries to drag Russia into another armed conflict that Western forces had started themselves

Enrique Ferro's insight:

Imagine Russia does it, but in Syria, to help Syrians get their country back, as it has been partitioned among West-armed gangs. Do you expect Putin would be rehabilitated and all that c3ap? Not at all! He and Russia would be further vilified! How come these Ruskies interfere against our lovely ISIS boys?!? After all the care and stealth we devoted to make them up, and nobody noticed!!!

No matter what evil tongues may say, a fact remains a fact. Alina Kabaeva bid farewell to her ribbons, hula-hoops and Indian clubs to conquer politics. Her achievements in politics continue to grow. For example, Kabaeva, formerly...

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